Before you put out that media release that you plan to send to 45 email addresses and contacts, ask yourself a question: Do I need to send to all 45 or can I have better results sending to just three?
The practice of sending blanket media releases to the market is now only done by PR machines concerned with contact hours, not results. If you want your performance to be measured by what is taken up by the media, not how many media releases disappear into the ether, you need to be strategic.
The key to a successful release is keep the story real and targeted. There is no point sending a local business story to the editor of the health pages as it is just going to go where 95% of all media releases go and that is into the bin. Do your research and build your relationships with the media that you need to work with. This is why PR is better done by a third party because if they are any good, the PR professional will be able to advise without bias whether you have a story and how best to promote it. They will focus on your target audience and the media that communicates to it and they should have the personal relationships with the media to get your story considered.
There are so many platforms for you to choose from and communicating with your target audience requires constant updating of strategy in order to remain relevant and effective. In a changing environment, what was done this time last year is out-of-date. It’s about finding the right balance between traditional and new media to communicate your messages. Don’t trust anyone that says it’s all one way or another. PR that is worth the dollars they charge will give you options, advice and an individualised strategy on the best way to release your information.
So before you hit 'Send' and spam all your media contacts, take a deep breath and consider not doing that at all. Targeting your messaging builds stronger relationships with the media and with your clients and improves the chances of being published or broadcast.
Thinking before you hit 'Send' will ultimately help you to achieve your goals. Be savvy. Be precise. Be heard.
